Friday, January 24, 2014

GLASGOW, Scotland--Washington State hall of famer Bernard Lagat (left/photo courtesy British Athletics) opens his 2014 indoor season Saturday as part of the Team USA squad competing in Saturday's Sainsbury's Glasgow International Match at the Emirates Arena, in a unique four-way meet featuring teams from Scotland, the Commonwealth Select, and Great Britain.

Lagat, the reigning world indoor champion at 3000 meters, will represent the USA in the 3000.

said: “It’s a great opportunity to lead my country out at the Sainsbury’s Glasgow International Match. There are some world-class athletes coming to the meet, but I have no doubt that the USA are up to the test and can come out on top. There are some less familiar names within the team, but I’m sure having such a stage to perform on, will spur them on when they reach the startline or runway.

“I always get a great reception in the UK and I’m really looking forward to returning this weekend. An early season race is always good to see where you are against your competition and I will be using the race to test myself in the lead up to the World Indoors in March where I hope to retain my title at 3000m.”

The organizers of the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix meet on February 8th announced that they will host an assault on the world record in the 4 x 800m relay at their meet, featuring new Seattle resident Nick Symmonds, the 2013 IAAF world championship silver medalist and third-fastest American ever at the distance.

Symmonds will lead the Seattle-based Brooks Beasts team that also features Matt Scherer, Mark Wieczorek, and Cas Loxsom. Also going after the record will be a team from the New Jersey-New York Track Club led by Robby Andrews, the 2011 NCAA champion at 800 meters and 2010 World Junior Championships bronze medalist.

The 4x800-meter World Record of 7:13.94 was set at this meet in 2000 by a Global Athletics & Marketing team of Joey Woody, Karl Paranya, Rich Kenah, and David Krummenacker.

ICYMI: We completely forgot to post the results of last Friday's Elite section of the UCS Pole Vault Summit in Reno in the midst of preparing for last weekend's UW Indoor Preview and the San Francisco/Seattle NFC Championship game.

Brad Walker no heighted as world and Olympic champ Renaud Lavillenie won with a jump of 18-10 1/2 (5.75m).

Sarah (Pappas) Sheppard, who competed for one season at the University of Washington before transferring to the University of Oklahoma, was a late addition to the field, and finished in a tie for seventh with a jump of 14-1 3/4 (4.31m).

We are honored to receive this award, as it comes from our peers who passionately cover the sport, and strive to continue the legacy of excellence that the late Adam Jacobs sought before his untimely passing.

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About Me

Internationally respected track and field writer Paul Merca brings his take on the sport to paulmerca.blogspot.com.
Paul was the assistant director of communications for the 1984 USA Women's Olympic Marathon Trials in Olympia, WA., and public relations director for the 1999 USA Cross Country Championships in Tacoma, WA.
The current public address announcer for the University of Washington's home track and field meets, Merca's been a media assistant to the USA national team (2001-11, 13, 15) at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
His vast knowledge of the sport has been utilized by many of the country's sports television networks, and is a senior writer to Northwest Runner magazine. He's covered twelve IAAF World Track & Field Championships, and two Olympics.
Merca graduated from Seattle's Franklin High School in 1977, and received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Washington in 1981 in Communications.
He competed in track and cross country at Franklin, and ran cross country at the University of Washington.